Sandoval Tapped for Federal Judgeship

By Karen Todd&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Mon 4:27 PM, Nov 15, 2004&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Tue 11:01 AM, Nov 16, 2004

Attorney General Brian Sandoval, a topNevada Republican viewed as a possible future candidate forgovernor or Congress, has been nominated for a U.S. District Courtjudgeship in Reno. Sandoval, 41, the first Hispanic elected to a statewideconstitutional office in Nevada, will accept the post if he'sappointed by President Bush and endorsed by the U.S. Senate,spokesman Tom Sargent said Monday. The nomination of Sandoval, chairman of the Bush-Cheneyre-election campaign in Nevada, was made by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid,D-Nev., with the support of U.S. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., Ensignspokesman Jack Finn said. If approved, Sandoval would take over the U.S. District Courtseat now held by Howard McKibben. McKibben, 64, who has been afederal district court judge since 1984, is going on senior statusin April. Sandoval was in a state Pardons Board meeting and notimmediately available for comment on the nomination. On a political fast track, Sandoval was first elected to thestate Assembly in 1994 and re-elected in 1996. That was followed byappointments to the governing board of the Tahoe Regional PlanningAgency and to the Nevada Gaming Commission, where he served aschairman. Sandoval left the Gaming Commission, to which he was appointedin 1998, to run for state attorney general in 2002. In that race,he was helped by endorsements from Gov. Kenny Guinn and most statepolice organizations and by backing from major gamblingcorporations. As attorney general, he has headed Nevada's court efforts toblock a national nuclear waste dump from being located at YuccaMountain, northwest of Las Vegas. He also oversaw the investigationthat has led to pending impeachment proceedings against Republicanstate Controller Kathy Augustine. Sandoval, representing Guinn, also opposed a federal courtchallenge of a state Assembly vote that sent a record $833 milliontax plan to the Senate on a simple majority vote rather than aconstitutionally required two-thirds vote. Representing Secretary of State Dean Heller, Sandoval lost alegal battle over dual service by full-time government employees inNevada's part-time Legislature. Sandoval petitioned for a ban onsuch service, but the court ruled against him in July. Fans of Sandoval filed a certificate of candidacy to get himinto a race against Reid earlier this year, but Sandoval said hewasn't interested. At the time he said he had no interest inseeking a Senate seat, adding that as attorney general until 2006,"I have a contract with the citizens of Nevada." Sandoval graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno and fromThe Ohio State University College of Law. He lives in Reno with hiswife, Kathleen, and their three children..

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